Describe your case!
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Your post really reminds me of myself. Your description of the hourglass waist on one side while straight waist on the other is so me. I hate it. I have lost 4 inches in height and feel like I have been squished down to one side and totally lost that side of my waist. And "quasimodo", you bet. Until I had my surgery my rib hump was so bad that clothes would actually be too short on that side. When I would look at myself in the mirror clothes would look great from the front, then I would turn sideways and want to cry because everything was so distorted. Even since my surgery, which has straightened me out considerably, I still am self conscious about how things look. I am down to 118 pounds and I still can't wear fitted tops. I live with layers (jackets, cardigans, vests) so I can hide all my twists. Ugh! But talking with everyone here makes me feel better. I know I am not alone, and I am lucky that I can be as active as I am. Thanks girls!0
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Whoa! I'm actually inspired by the success stories i've been reading on this website (i just joined today) .. So here's my case.. I never really took backache seriously till last year, when i could barely move because of the pain.. Before that i'd assume it's probably due to lifting weight, shifting furniture, having been overworked or stressed out or just about any other reason except for a physical condition.. I was pretty active that way.. Last year the pain started and only became worse, turned out i had 3 slipped discs, L3-s1, spinal stenosis and mild scoliosis.. physiotherapy didn't help and eventually in January, i had to go for surgery.. that took care of the slipped discs, but the scoliosis is still there. According to my doctor, mild scoliosis doesn't really need surgery. i just need to lose weight in order to lower any risks associated. Problem is the only exercises allowed are walking (slow) and swimming. I'm a teacher and have joined back at work after an 8 month leave. Swimming has helped strengthen my back and stamina however, my schedule has been so busy ever since i joined back at work that i've had to skip swimming- for about a month now.. Intend to join back on Tuesday. For sure!
One more thing i'd like to share - i was a vegetarian since childhood. And post surgery, my doctor has put me off of most veggies since some of them (mostly greens) contribute to increased levels of uric acid.. So far i'm experimenting with food options which would be suitable for me to lose weight and gain health .. Really need my blood test reports to come out normal.0 -
Whoa! I'm actually inspired by the success stories i've been reading on this website (i just joined today) .. So here's my case.. I never really took backache seriously till last year, when i could barely move because of the pain.. Before that i'd assume it's probably due to lifting weight, shifting furniture, having been overworked or stressed out or just about any other reason except for a physical condition.. I was pretty active that way.. Last year the pain started and only became worse, turned out i had 3 slipped discs, L3-s1, spinal stenosis and mild scoliosis.. physiotherapy didn't help and eventually in January, i had to go for surgery.. that took care of the slipped discs, but the scoliosis is still there. According to my doctor, mild scoliosis doesn't really need surgery. i just need to lose weight in order to lower any risks associated. Problem is the only exercises allowed are walking (slow) and swimming. I'm a teacher and have joined back at work after an 8 month leave. Swimming has helped strengthen my back and stamina however, my schedule has been so busy ever since i joined back at work that i've had to skip swimming- for about a month now.. Intend to join back on Tuesday. For sure!
One more thing i'd like to share - i was a vegetarian since childhood. And post surgery, my doctor has put me off of most veggies since some of them (mostly greens) contribute to increased levels of uric acid.. So far i'm experimenting with food options which would be suitable for me to lose weight and gain health .. Really need my blood test reports to come out normal.
Hi, may I ask what they did in the surgery for the slipped discs? I have a subluxation, so the discs are rubbing over one another. They wanted to do an Xstop years ago, but it was so new, I said no thanks. Now I am reconsidering. Just wanted to know what you might of had done. Thanks. Glad you got relief.0 -
Hi everyone!
I just found this group and wanted to tell my story, since i 'got' my scoliosis in a horrible way.
When my mother was giving a birth, the doctor couldn't get me out so easily so he pulled my left arm and broke it. He also broke my nerve in shoulder that gives information to the left hand. This isn't so rare and it's called pareza plexus brachialis. Thank god i could move my hand(because some babys can't, their hand is 'dead'). From 10th day of my life i went on phisical theraphy and i stopped when i was 12 years old. I had to swimm 3 days a week 10 years(i started when i was 5). Because of pareza plexus brachialis i couldn't do everything with my left hand so i got scoliosis in S curve.
Few weeks ago i even found that my mothe could have sued the doctor... but what's the use of money we would get when this thing is something you cannot undone.
Today, i'm 21, i don't have any majore problems with it. I can't lift my left hand in some positions, but it doesn't bother me, i'm righthanded anyway
Thanks for hearing my story0 -
Hi Missklara. Thanks for sharing your students. One of my ballet students has the same condition, but no scoliosis as far as I can tell. It's nice that you have such a great attitude about it.
this message board is ridiculously quiet, I wish it was more active.0 -
this message board is ridiculously quiet, I wish it was more active.
I agree. Post, post, post!0 -
Hey Everyone,
I'm brand new to this group. And was excited to see there was a scoliosis forum already started. I am 23 years old CW: 124 and height 5"3. I was diagnosed when I was 14 with scoliosis,I forgo-ed the surgery when I was younger in order to see of the curve would stabilize or not (under chiropractors recommendation). Sadly, the opposite occurred, after years of yoga exercises, and non-surgical treatments (Lancaster spinal health clinic) I am on the list for the surgery (Canadian health care). I met with the doctor on Dec12, 2012 and am tentatively booked for next Oct 2013. They will be inserting two metal rods on both sides of my spine in order to correct the curvature of 70 degrees. I have a C shaped scoliosis which is largely focused in the thoracic lumbar regions (L4 - T10).
So that is the fun diagnosis, personally, it has greatly affected my quality of life. Most days end with a handful of painkillers and heating pads. Exercise is tough, I feel great while exercising but post workout the muscles which are not normally used Squawk! loudly. But I still aim for the best food/ exercise routine I can. I feel that it is specially important for patients with spinal disorders to ensure that their health is maintained, even though our bodies often rebel against us.
This may sound vain, but I am young still, and yes there are many days where my scoliosis does not physically hinder me. But I find some-days the hardest thing is looking in the mirror and remembering to love yourself no matter what. When I was pursuing non-surgical treatments in the US a few doctors commented that the correlation between scoliosis and self cutting, self hatred, suicide rates are significantly higher then in the "normal" population. I was blessed with a family which was able to maintain my "self love" and confidence, despite obvious deformities. However, my heart goes out to those who may have not had the same support, especially during those tough adolescent years.
I hope you all have great success with your futures
Megan0 -
Wishing you a successful surgery Megan. I'm so sorry you have to go through what you do, but it sounds like you have an awesome attitude and a lot of family support. Keep us updated.0
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Welcome to the group Megan! Fingers crossed that all goes well for you, please check in with us so we know how you are doing! There are several women in the group that have had the surgery, perhaps you should friend them for extra support!
As for your body image discussion, I think we can all relate to that. I wore a hard plastic back brace for most of middle school and high school, it was awful! I'd never heard the stats on increased risk for self-harming but I'm really not surprised. I know I went through periods of severe depression during those times.0 -
Thanks for the welcome. I will keep you all updated on any surgery updates. 0
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Hey all! I'm so excited to find this group, as scoliosis is so rare and yet so life changing!
My journey started at 11 years old when they found my shoulder blades to be uneven during a school screening. I saw an orthopedist,; he diagnosed me with an S curve of about 18 degrees, and put me in a Boston Brace 23 hours a day from the age of 11 to 14. As some others have said, middle school is awful enough for a normal girl. A girl in a back brace is in for torture. I can remember having to change in the locker room and have people laugh and pull at the straps on my brace.I couldn't go to sleepovers because none of my friends moms knew how to lace my brace back up after I showered. *sigh* I also remember having to participate in gym class with all the "normal kids," and run the mile in the heat of the late summer. Those years were awful
When I turned 14, the doctors told me that my growth plates in both hips had calcified, meaning that I was done growing. They didn't expect the scoliosis to worsen much if at all. I still went back for xrays every 6 months. By the time i was 16, they could tell it was worsening once again. It was up to a 41 degree main curvature. They scheduled a fusion for April 17, 2000. I still remember the date of my surgery and celebrate it every year, with how far I've come. I was 16 years old at the time, and missed my junior prom and class trip. LOL
The surgery was rough. I was out of school for 6 weeks. They put in 2 Harrington rods from T3-L1, and took a bone graft from my right hip to fuse it all together. It was really painful for a few weeks, but it started to ease up and I was able to get back to normal activity. They said my spine was NOT ONLY crooked, but also ROTATED, which caused my rib cage to be deformed. They weren't able to fix that. One of my lungs is pretty compressed, which hinders my high cardio sessions...but I'm trying hard to overcome this!
My surgery was the best thing though. My scar is pretty thin on my back, even the bone graft scar isn't too bad. I'm much straighter than before (my main curve is still 14 degrees, it was the best they could do with me LOL). My only complaint is my lack of flexibility (It's pretty embarrassing when your yoga instructor calls you out in the class because you're not arching your back correctly, and you have to inform her that you no long have individual vertebrae!!!!).
ANYONE who is going through this, please feel free to add me!0 -
Oh, and current stats: 29 years old. 5'3" and 123 lbs! Trying hard to stay thin, because my doc told me that any extra weight will only cause me pain as I get older!0
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Oh, and current stats: 29 years old. 5'3" and 123 lbs! Trying hard to stay thin, because my doc told me that any extra weight will only cause me pain as I get older!
Doctor is definitely right. At my highest weight I was barely functional. I still have bad days now but they are much more rare.0 -
I had an S curve. I was operated on when I was only 8 years old. The top curve was fused from T1 to T10...(so almost all my T).
My notes say Top curve 51 degrees T1-T6 Bottom Curve 28 degrees T7-T10... in 1988 before the op. My bottom curve is starting to Kyphosis in my Lumbar region. My neck bones are actually moving into one because of my rod being so high my neck is kind of immobile.
I have a Harrington rod.
My scoliosis, is from a genetic disorder called Neurofibromatosis....0 -
goodness, that's a lot to go through at such a young age.I had an S curve. I was operated on when I was only 8 years old. The top curve was fused from T1 to T10...(so almost all my T).
My notes say Top curve 51 degrees T1-T6 Bottom Curve 28 degrees T7-T10... in 1988 before the op. My bottom curve is starting to Kyphosis in my Lumbar region. My neck bones are actually moving into one because of my rod being so high my neck is kind of immobile.
I have a Harrington rod.
My scoliosis, is from a genetic disorder called Neurofibromatosis....0 -
I had an S curve. I was operated on when I was only 8 years old. The top curve was fused from T1 to T10...(so almost all my T).
My notes say Top curve 51 degrees T1-T6 Bottom Curve 28 degrees T7-T10... in 1988 before the op. My bottom curve is starting to Kyphosis in my Lumbar region. My neck bones are actually moving into one because of my rod being so high my neck is kind of immobile.
I have a Harrington rod.
My scoliosis, is from a genetic disorder called Neurofibromatosis....
Wow that is rough that they did fusion that early! Did it affect your growth? Has your curve progressed since then?
My scoliosis seems to come from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, although there is no official diagnosis for the type that I likely have (type 3). Just more of an "Oh you have enough of the symptoms that we think you have EDS".0 -
Yeah I had the fused operation at 8. It stunted my growth a bit. My torso is VERY VERY tiny. My legs and arms are VERY long for my height, as I come from a tall family.
I used to yoga and pilates at a gym, but I am hesitant to do this at home as I don't want to hurt myself.
My bottoms curve isn't really going L-R anymore, but my curve is going front to back now...
(I have pics on my profile of my spine yay!)0 -
Yeah I had the fused operation at 8. It stunted my growth a bit. My torso is VERY VERY tiny. My legs and arms are VERY long for my height, as I come from a tall family.
I used to yoga and pilates at a gym, but I am hesitant to do this at home as I don't want to hurt myself.
My bottoms curve isn't really going L-R anymore, but my curve is going front to back now...
(I have pics on my profile of my spine yay!)
Do you ever wear a brace? I wore a Boston Brace for years and years. I hated it then but sometimes I miss the support.0 -
UGH Yes. I wore a brace for like 8 months after surgery. I was home schooled that year as I went to a school district like in the next town over from newark, nj (not the best place in the world!). I miss the support of it.
I've looked into the adult one, I think it's called Spincore and it's semi flexible.0 -
Hi - I found out I had scoliosis at about 15 when the military rejected me as a pilot because "ejecting would snap your spine". I have a mild thoracic curve, which can't be treated because the risks from the surgery outweigh the benefits. It leads to a twist in my rib cage, and more problematically, a rotation of my pelvis which causes me no end of lower back pain when I don't manage it properly.
I'm currently running 2-3x a week and finding it OK. I do Strong Lifts 5x5, but have hit the point where the scoliosis is affecting my form on three of the lifts because of the strength imbalances and pelvic twist. I (should!) have regular chiro treatments to keep the pelvis and ribs more or less in line - my right shoulder blade forms a "winged scapular" and protrudes, it's just by how much... I'm about to switch my routine to be running twice a week, swimming once, pilates once and 2x lifting plus sun salutations every morning I can drag my backside out of bed on time. I need to strengthen up the weaker side muscles otherwise I'm simply making the imbalance and the various problems worse by strengthening everything in the wrong place.
I've only skimmed the thread, but many of you are inspirational. I have a mild case, but what you ladies have achieved with much more severe ones is amazing!0
